People engaged in a variety of vocations and activities often have a need to write or read under circumstances lacking adequate lighting. For example, police officers frequently write reports, write traffic tickets, or perform other writing tasks while in the field. Often, such writing activities occur at times of the day and in locations where no adequate lighting is available. Most officers carry a flashlight that may be used to illuminate a writing support, for example a clipboard. It is often awkward to both hold a flashlight and perform a writing or reading task. Another option is for an officer to use the internal lighting of a police vehicle as a light source, but this also generates other problems. For example, such an activity can create a hazardous circumstance. In the darkness, the internal lighting of a police vehicle may prevent an officer from being able to view activities outside the vehicle due to internal light reflection on the vehicle windows.
Pilots may have a need for an illuminated writing or reading surface when in flight. Typically, airplane cockpits are not lighted so that a pilot can clearly see out the cockpit windows at night. Firefighters, emergency medical personnel, military personnel, commercial truck drivers, train operators, and others are a few examples of people engaged in activities wherein an illuminated writing support may be desired.
Accordingly, a need exists to provide a lighted writing support, for example a clipboard, that fills the needs of individuals that engage in writing and reading activities where adequate lighting is not readily available.